NCL has introduced a raft of enhanced health and safety measures, ensuring that cruising with NCL continues to be one of the safest and most exciting ways to explore the world.
“Norwegian Cruise Line remains committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of our guests, crew and the communities we visit around the world. We have invested significant resources in recent months, further enhancing our already robust health and safety protocols,” said Ben Angell, Norwegian Cruise Line Vice President and Managing Director, APAC.
“As an innovator in global cruise travel, we want to ensure that valued NCL guests sail with steel-clad Peace of Mind – whether through our ongoing work with a council of leading health and safety experts, through our collaborative health and safety work with local operators at each and every port of call, or through the provision of flexible booking polices. Our number one goal is to deliver the safest sailing experience, both at sea and ashore, when the time is right to cruise again,” added Mr. Angell.
NCL’s core Peace of Mind initiatives include:
1.Healthy Sail Panel
NCL recently announced its participation in a “Healthy Sail Panel” to develop enhanced cruise health and safety standards to address the challenges posed by the global pandemic. The “Healthy Sail Panel” is comprised of top experts in public health, infectious disease, biosecurity, hospitality and maritime operations, and is tasked with collaboratively developing recommendations for cruise lines to advance their public health response to the pandemic, improve safety and achieve readiness for the safe resumption of operations.
The recommendations developed by the “Healthy Sail Panel” will be open-source, and are available for sharing with the cruise industry as a whole, as well as other sectors which may benefit.
The “Healthy Sail Panel” is anticipated to offer its initial recommendations soon. The work of the panel will be shared with the entire industry and regulators.
2. Enhanced Health and Safety Protocols
NCL has created a “Sail Safe” programme, which includes six key areas of health and safety, which will be implemented fleetwide on board and on shore, with more initiatives to come:
· Upgraded medical-grade air filters: Strategic installation of medical-grade air filters to provide cleaner air for guests. The upgraded H13 HEPA air filters are capable of removing 99.9% of airborne pathogens and are fine enough to catch particles of COVID-19.
· Enhanced screening protocols: All guests and crew will undergo a pre-embarkation health screening. Once on board, touchless temperature checks and monitoring of guests and crew throughout the voyage will help identify potential health issues, offering an additional layer of prevention and protection.
· Increased sanitation measures: All ships are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected prior to every voyage, in accordance with company protocols, which are developed in partnership with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program. Embarkation terminals will be sanitised continuously and, where possible, sanitised with electrostatic sprayers before and after each embarkation and disembarkation. Furthermore, all staterooms, suites and public areas will be cleaned, sanitised and disinfected at an increased frequency.
· Responsible social distancing: NCL are reducing guest capacity on board all ships in its fleet to enable responsible social distancing measures. NCL continues to work with port and government authorities to determine procedures that are in accordance with CDC and global health agencies’ guidelines, to implement protocols that allow for proper social distancing during the embarkation process, including staggered embarkation and advanced check-in procedures.
· Enhanced medical resources: Onboard medical centres will be fully equipped with the latest testing kits and medical supplies. NCL is also increasing its medical team fleetwide, including introducing the newly created onboard position of a Public Health Officer on every ship. Additionally, each ship has dedicated isolation accommodations should the need arise.
· Extended ship to shore safety: Norwegian Cruise Line is collaborating with its local tour operators at each port of call to ensure its industry-leading health and sanitation protocols extend to the shoreside experience. Embarkation terminals, tour coaches, and the attractions visited must have appropriate health and safety protocols in place.
3. Extended Peace of Mind Policy
To provide guests with even more freedom and flexibility, NCL recently extended its Peace of Mind cancellation policy. Guests sailing on cruises booked by 30 September 2020 with embarkation dates from 1 January 2021 to 31 October 2021 now have the flexibility to cancel their cruise 15 days prior to departure and receive a Future Cruise Credit, which may be applied to any sailing through 31 December 2022, or a full refund when they cancel up-to 120 days before their holiday. In addition, for all voyages through 31 March 2021, guests can provide final payment 30 days prior to embarkation versus the standard 120 days.
IMAGE: Norwegian Jade
